Since 2017 Google Delivers Packages with Drones

In less than two years Google will deliver packages with drones in the United States. The negotiations with the authorities over the necessary rules and regulations seem to move forward. Its time to organize air traffic corridors for this machines.

Google drone with package during a test flight in Australia: Google hopes on commercial drones flights from 2017.

Google said: “Of course we want to be first. What is true for the self propelled car, should be no different in the new type of air mail.” The regular drone operation for the parcel delivery company will start in 2017, so Google Manager David Vos now said at a Conference in Washington. At least, they hope to have set up a set of rules that enables this service until then with the US authorities.

So far, the air control has approved only tests. Basically, lawmakers and authorities in the United States are similar to strict as in Germany. Unmanned flying objects only at low altitudes, in largely uninhabited areas and under constant visual contact of the “pilots” to fly here and there.

Difficult security issues, nobody want to have large objects falling from the sky accidentally or easily stolen with one of those tools.

Google but wishes to include as possible throughout the drone system, to be so as fast and flexible delivery. The equipment used for this are so-called Quadrocopter, so drones with four drives that can run practically vertical. (LINK) You fly in about 50 m height and to control automatically its programmed target, so without continuous human control. This however means that extensive security measures are necessary to prevent uncontrolled crashes. A loaded drone may be about 5 kg in weight and would be a deadly danger to passers-by.

According to Vos wants the alphabet subsidiary of Google, the project runs, the statutory release for heights up to about 2,500 metres. Thus, the drones may get a corridor, which is sufficiently far removed from aircraft, allows but also the flight over inhabited areas.

Before the regular start, not only technical but also legal questions arise. What happens when a drone crashes? If it loses your package? Who is responsible to what extent? The questions discussed the shipping company Amazon presented drones tests 2013 as a first, since without result with the authorities.

The Google drone dump a pack of dog food in the test. In remote areas no problem. But: A loaded drone may be about 5 kilograms. A crash would be a deadly danger to passers-by.

Experts in Germany because of this large hurdles not thus that there will ever be a comprehensive drone system. Deutsche Post has now only the target to use hard to reach areas such as islands and mountainous areas with the plane, and that only with particularly urgent supplies such as drugs.

A test in Juist are running already, the results are still have to be evaluated. The Paketkopter is suitable according to the Deutsche Post subsidiary DHL but for autonomous transport: “the autopilot of the Paketkopters allows a fully automated flight including takeoff and landing outside the sight of a human controller. On a long-haul data link the aircraft in constant contact with the DHL Paketkopter ground station stands.”

A group of chemists specializing in modern materials, whizzes from microscopy and engineers managed to last to develop a new technique strengthening nickel-based alloys, which is to allow for the creation of better engines, and thus save billions of dollars on fuel for aircrafts.